Brompton first-graders get delicious lesson in economics

First-graders from Brompton School learned a basic economics lesson through a fun, hands-on, delicious field trip Friday at Elsie Mae’s Canning and Pies.

Brompton teacher Elizabeth William’s class is currently learning about wants, needs, goods, services, producers and consumers, so Friday morning’s activity aligned well with their studies.

“I love this, because this is exactly how they’re going to remember this basic economics vocabulary,” Williams said. “These words and ideas will stick with them, because they did it. They produced the goods, they consumed the goods and they determined what would be considered wants and needs along the way.”

The students made two individual pies each on Friday – a bacon, egg and cheese pie and an apple pie.

“I loved rolling and cutting the dough for the pie; it was so much fun,” Brompton first-grader Jackson S. said. “My pie tasted so good. I wish I made more than one!”

The students decided the savory pies could be categorized as a need, since it was their lunch, while the sweet dessert pies would be better labeled as a want.

“We got to produce pies and consume pies, and everyone’s pie was different because we got to make them ourselves,” first-grader Hattie S. said. “Elsie Mae’s is good at producing pies, too. It was so yummy.”

Williams said while the students benefited from the lesson directly aligning with their curriculum, it also was a lot of fun to see her first-graders use common courtesy during the trip and experience things they haven’t done before.

“They cracked eggs and rolled out dough and made these pies their own,” Williams said. “Some of them have never done things like that before, but they all did a great job and I think they really enjoyed the experience.”